It takes just days for William ‘Willa’ Chandler-Golden’s life to fall apart – first she loses her job, then her husband announces he is relocating to Palto Alto for the summer – without her, her parents announce they plan to experiment with an open marriage and her brother, is arrested by the FBI for his role in a Ponzi scheme in her apartment, which leads to her being evicted. If her father’s theory, expounded in his best seller ‘Is It Really Your Choice? Why Your Entire Life May Be Out of Your Control.’ is correct, Willa’s life is unfolding exactly as it has been predestined to, but what if…?

The Theory of Opposites is a lighthearted story about challenging fate, taking risks and making of life what you will. With her life in free-fall, Willa reluctantly allows her best friend, Vanessa, to talk her into taking part in a book project whose premise directly challenges her father’s lifelong mantra. Instead of endless procrastination and inertia, Willa is forced to reconsider her life, explore the paths not taken, and face her fears leading her to, amongst other things, reconnect with an old boyfriend, Theo. Scotch allows Willa to struggle with change, the way most of us do, unwilling to let go of familiar comforts and envision something different. Willa is a likeable protagonist though beset by anxiety and low self esteem, it is nice to witness her journey as she finds the courage to change her life.

The main theme of the novel is obviously the question of fate vs free will and what part each plays in our lives. Is what we decide an act of choice or has destiny already decided for us? The question is a little like ‘Which came first? The chicken or the egg?’ Though the story is seemingly light and humorous, peppered with an eccentric cast and sometimes absurd situations, it is also one that makes you think about where you are now, and where you want to be.

Written with heart and humour, The Theory of Opposites is a quick, entertaining read. Interestingly, despite a track record of publication success, Scotch has chosen to self publish this novel under her own imprint and it has already been picked up by Jennifer Garner’s production company -Vandalia Films. Read it – I dare you!